The US and China are opening new lines of communication to tackle contentious issues, in one of the first signs of progress towards stabilising relations since secretary of state Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June.
According to three people familiar with the situation, Washington and Beijing will create two working groups to focus on Asia-Pacific regional issues and maritime issues, and a possible third group to focus on broader areas.
The move comes amid tension between the powers over issues from China’s assertive activity around Taiwan and refusal to condemn Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, to Beijing’s concern about US alliances in the Indo-Pacific and tough export controls.